Automated cloud IT services delivery solution model

Abstract

A system, apparatus, method, and computer program product that provide a flexible and modular cloud IT service delivery solution model. The apparatus comprises a processor and computer-readable program code that defines a plurality of common capabilities that comprise operations. Those operations are configured to be invoked by a plurality of different processes on a plurality of different containers, and the plurality of common capabilities comprise a service delivery solution when invoked by a process from among the plurality of different processes. Further, the is processor configured to execute the computer-readable program code and to invoke the plurality of common capabilities with each of the plurality of different processes on the plurality of different containers. Accordingly, the apparatus may utilize different containers interchangeably in a plurality of different service delivery solutions and may expand and contract each of the plurality of different service delivery solutions by invoking greater or fewer processes on greater or fewer containers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising using one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to perform the following:
 providing a plurality of common capabilities that comprise operations that are configured to be invoked by a plurality of different processes on a plurality of different containers, the plurality of common capabilities comprising a service delivery solution when invoked by a process from among the plurality of different processes; 
 downloading at least one container from among the plurality of different containers, the at least one container comprising at least one process from among the plurality of different processes when downloaded; and 
 invoking the plurality of common capabilities with the at least one process of the at least one container, 
 wherein each of the plurality of different processes corresponds to a different service, and 
 wherein the plurality of different containers are configured to be utilized interchangeably in a plurality of different service delivery solutions as downloaded, and each of the different service delivery solutions is configured to be expanded and contracted by utilizing the plurality of common capabilities to invoke greater or fewer processes on greater or fewer containers. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 as downloaded, each of the plurality of different containers comprises a container specification that specifies each resource upon which a process on that container depends to provide a service; and 
 each container specification comprises:
 first operations configured to automatically deploy the container by invoking first workflows that install that container in the context of the service delivery solution, 
 second operations configured to provide the service of the container by invoking second workflows that operate on each resource upon which that container depends to provide that service; and 
 the method further comprises executing the first operations and the second operations. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to connect the container to one or more of the resources upon which a process on that container depends via an application programming interface utilizing standard internet protocols. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to utilize resource connectors provided in the container specification to translate a logical implementation of each resource to its corresponding physical implementation, and 
 using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to utilize the second workflows to invoke third operations on the resource connectors, the third operations being configured to enable the second workflows to operate on each resource upon which the container depends to provide a service. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 each of the resource connectors resides either on the computer-readable program code or on the container; and 
 the method further comprises using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to connect each of the resource connectors to its corresponding resource via an integration bus. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises:
 one or more service offerings for the service provided by that container, 
 one or more standardized service type templates for each of the one or more service offerings that are configured to generate a standardized user interface for providing the service of the container, and 
 fourth operations configured to at least one of initiate, configure, test, and activate the service provided by that container; and 
 
 the method further comprises:
 using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to publish each different service offering for each different service to a service request catalog, 
 using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to receive input to select a service offering that is published to the service request catalog, and 
 using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to execute the fourth operations to at least one of initiate, configure, test, and activate the service that corresponds to the service offering selected from the service request catalog. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises fifth operations configured to at least one of reserve, provision, and monitor each resource upon which the corresponding container depends to provide a service; 
 the method further comprises using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to execute the fifth operations. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the method further comprises using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to invoke operations in the container specification of each of the one or more of the plurality of different containers as required to manage that container; and 
 managing a container comprises using the one or more processors to execute computer-readable program code to at least one of:
 register the container; 
 unregister the container; 
 activate the container in the service delivery solution; 
 deactivate the container in service delivery solution; 
 configure the container to operate as part of the service delivery solution; 
 patch the container with additional content; 
 update the container to a newer version; 
 add at least one of a second, third, fourth, fifth, and a sixth operation to the container specification of that container, the sixth operation being different than the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth operations; and 
 modify at least one of a second, third, fourth, fifth, and the sixth operation to the container specification of that container. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of common capabilities are invoked by two or more processes on two or more of the plurality of different containers to provide two or more different services. 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory computer program product stored in memory that is configured to be executed by a processor, the computer program product comprising:
 computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to define a plurality of common capabilities that comprise operations that are configured to be invoked by a plurality of different processes on a plurality of different containers, the plurality of common capabilities comprising a service delivery solution when invoked by a process from among the plurality of different processes; 
 computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to download at least one container from among the plurality of different containers, the at least one container comprising at least one process from among the plurality of different processes when downloaded; and 
 computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to invoke the plurality of common capabilities with the at least one process of the at least one container, 
 wherein each of the plurality of different processes corresponds to a different service, 
 wherein the plurality of different containers are configured to be utilized interchangeably in a plurality of different service delivery solutions as downloaded, and each of the different service delivery solutions is configured to be expanded and contracted by utilizing the plurality of common capabilities to invoke greater or fewer processes on greater or fewer containers. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein:
 as downloaded, each of the plurality of different containers comprises a container specification that specifies each resource upon which a process on that container depends to provide a service; and 
 each container specification comprises:
 first operations configured to automatically deploy the container by invoking first workflows that install that container in the context of the service delivery solution, 
 second operations configured to provide the service of the container by invoking second workflows that operate on each resource upon which that container depends to provide that service; and 
 
 the computer program product further comprises computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to execute the first operations and the second operations. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11 , further comprising computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to connect the container to one or more of the resources upon which a process on that container depends via an application programming interface utilizing standard internet protocols. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises:
 resource connectors configured to translate a logical implementation of each resource to its corresponding physical implementation, and 
 third operations configured to be invoked on the resource connectors by the second workflows so that the second workflows may operate on each resource upon which the container depends to provide a service; and 
 
 the computer program product further comprises computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to execute the third operations. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein:
 each of the resource connectors resides either on the computer program code or on the container; and 
 the computer program code further comprises computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to connect each of the resource connectors to its corresponding resource via an integration bus. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises:
 one or more service offerings for the service provided by that container, 
 one or more standardized service type templates for each of the one or more service offerings that are configured to generate a standardized user interface for providing the service of the container, and 
 fourth operations configured to at least one of initiate, configure, test, and activate the service provided by that container; and 
 
 the computer program code further comprises computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to:
 publishing each different service offering for each different service to a service request catalog, 
 receiving input to select a service offering that is published to the service request catalog, and 
 invoking the process of the service that corresponds to the service offering selected from the service request catalog. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises fifth operations configured to at least one of reserve, provision, and monitor each resource upon which the corresponding container depends to provide a service; and 
 the computer program product further comprises computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to execute the fifth operations. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the computer program code further comprises computer-readable program code that, when executed by the processor, is configured to invoke operations in the container specification of each of the one or more of the plurality of different containers as required to manage that container; and 
 managing a container comprises at least one of:
 registering the container; 
 unregistering the container; 
 activating the container in the service delivery solution; 
 deactivating the container in service delivery solution; 
 configuring the container to operate as part of the service delivery solution; 
 patching that container with additional content; 
 updating that container to a newer version; 
 adding at least one of a second, third, fourth, fifth, and a sixth operation to the container specification of that container, the sixth operation being different than the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth operations; and 
 modifying at least one of a second, third, fourth, fifth, and the sixth operation to the container specification of that container. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the computer program code is configured to invoke the plurality of common capabilities with two or more processes on two or more of the plurality of different containers to provide two or more different services when executed by the processor. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus comprising:
 A computer-readable program code; and 
 a processor; 
 said processor configured to execute the computer-readable program code; 
 said computer-readable program code defining a plurality of common capabilities that comprise operations that, when executed by the processor, are configured to be invoked by a plurality of different processes on a plurality of different containers, the plurality of common capabilities comprising a service delivery solution when invoked by a process from among the plurality of different processes, 
 wherein, when executed by the processor, the computer-readable program code is configured to: 
 download at least one container from among the plurality of different containers, the at least one container comprising at least one process from among the plurality of different processes when downloaded; and 
 invoke the plurality of common capabilities with the at least one process of the at least one container, 
 wherein each of the plurality of different processes corresponds to a different service, and 
 wherein the apparatus is configured to utilize different containers interchangeably in a plurality of different service delivery solutions as downloaded, and to expand and contract each of the plurality of different service delivery solutions by invoking greater or fewer processes on greater or fewer containers. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 as downloaded, each of the plurality of different containers comprises a container specification that specifies each resource upon which a process on that container depends to provide a service; and 
 each container specification comprises:
 first operations configured to automatically deploy the container by invoking first workflows that install that container in the context of the service delivery solution, 
 second operations configured to provide the service of the container by invoking second workflows that operate on each resource upon which that container depends to provide a service; and 
 
 the processor is configured to execute the first operations and the second operations. 
 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the container specification further comprises one or more container interface configured to connect to one or more of the resources upon which a process on the corresponding container depends via an application programming interface utilizing standard internet protocols. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises:
 a plurality of resource connectors each configured to translate a logical implementation of each resource to its corresponding physical implementation, and 
 a plurality of third operations configured to be invoked on the plurality of resource connectors by the second workflows so that the second workflows may operate on each resource upon which the container depends to provide a service; and 
 
 the processor is configured to execute the plurality of third operations. 
 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of resource connectors resides either on the apparatus or on the container; and 
 the apparatus further comprises an integration bus configured to connect each of the plurality of resource connectors to its corresponding resource. 
 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises:
 one or more service offerings for the service provided by that container, 
 one or more standardized service type templates for each of the one or more service offerings that are configured to generate a standardized user interface for providing the service of the container, and 
 fourth operations configured to at least one of initiate, configure, test, and activate the service provided by the container; 
 
 the processor is configured to execute the fourth operations; and 
 the processor is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
 publish each different service offering for each different service to a service request catalog, 
 receive input to select a service offering that is published to the service request catalog, and 
 invoke the process of the service that corresponds to the service offering selected from the service request catalog. 
 
 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the container specification further comprises fifth operations configured to at least one of reserve, provision, and monitor each resource upon which the corresponding container depends to provide a service; and 
 the processor is configured to execute the fifth operations. 
 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to invoke operations in the container specification of each of the plurality of different containers as required to manage that container; and 
 managing a container comprises at least one of:
 registering the container with the apparatus; 
 unregistering the container with the apparatus; 
 activating the container in the service delivery solution; 
 deactivating the container in service delivery solution; 
 configuring the container to operate as part of the service delivery solution; 
 patching that container with additional content; 
 updating that container to a newer version; 
 adding at least one of a second, third, fourth, fifth, and a sixth operation to the container specification of that container, the sixth operation being different than the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth operations; and 
 modifying at least one of a second, third, fourth, fifth, and the sixth operation to the container specification of that container. 
 
 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus comprises two or more of the plurality of different containers and invokes the plurality of common capabilities with two or more processes on the two or more of plurality of different containers to provide two or more different services.